Lagerstroemia plant named ‘PIILAG B4’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Lagerstroemia  plant named ‘PIILAG B4’, characterized by its compact, rounded intermediate growth habit, reddish purple new growth, lustrous dark green foliage in summer, purplish pink flowers, and resistance to powdery mildew and  Cercospora  leaf spot.

Genus and species of plant claimed: Lagerstroemia L.

Variety denomination: ‘PIILAG B4’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Lagerstroemia plant, botanically known as Lagerstroemia L., commonly known as crapemyrtle, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘PIILAG B4’. ‘PIILAG B4’ is grown primarily as an ornamental for landscape use and for use as a potted plant.

‘PIILAG B4’ originated from open-pollinated seed of Lagerstroemia ‘Gamad VI’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,161) growing in Watkinsville, Ga. The cultivar ‘PIILAG B4’ originated in 2008 and was selected in a cultivated environment in Watkinsville, Ga. from the progeny of this open-pollination by continued evaluation for growth habit and foliage and flower characteristics.

Asexual reproduction of ‘PIILAG B4’ by stem cuttings in Watkinsville, Ga. since 2009 has shown that all the unique features of this new Lagerstroemia, as herein described, are stable and reproduced true-to-type through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new cultivar ‘PIILAG B4’ have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with changes in light, temperature, soil and rainfall without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be unique characteristics of ‘PIILAG B4’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘PIILAG B4’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Compact, rounded intermediate growth habit;     -   2. Reddish purple new growth;     -   3. Lustrous dark green foliage in summer;     -   4. Purplish pink flowers;     -   5. Resistance to powdery mildew and Cercospora leaf spot.

Plants of ‘PIILAG B4’ differ from plants of the parent, ‘Gamad VI’, primarily in growth habit, flower color, and time of flowering. Plants of ‘Gamad VI’ have a compact, mounded growth habit and produce deep red and purple flowers in early summer, whereas plants of ‘PIILAG B4’ have an overall larger, compact, rounded intermediate growth habit and purplish pink flowers in mid-summer.

Plants of ‘PIILAG B4’ can be compared to the cultivar ‘Zuni’ (unpatented), but differ in overall size, foliage color, and flower color. Plants of ‘PIILAG B4’ have a compact, rounded intermediate growth habit, foliage that emerges reddish purple, and purplish pink flowers, whereas plants of ‘Zuni’ have an overall larger growth habit, reddish new growth, and medium lavender flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color photographs illustrate the flower and foliage characteristics and the overall appearance of ‘PIILAG B4’, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in color reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Lagerstroemia.

FIG. 1 illustrates the overall appearance of a mature plant of ‘PIILAG B4’ in a container.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of the new growth of ‘PIILAG B4’.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for the description were approximately two years old and were grown in 11.8 L containers under outdoor conditions in Watkinsville, Ga. Colors are described using The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.).

-   Botanical classification: Lagerstroemia L., cultivar ‘PIILAG B4’. -   Parentage: Female, or seed, parent: Lagerstroemia ‘Gamad VI’ (U.S.     Plant Pat. No. 22,161). -   Male, or pollen parent: unknown (open-pollinated). -   Propagation: Terminal cuttings. Time to initiate roots, summer:     about 21 days at 32° C. -   Plant description:     -   -   Flowering shrub.—Compact, rounded intermediate growth habit.             Freely branching; pruning enhances lateral branch             development.         -   Root description.—Numerous, fine, fibrous and well-branched.         -   Plant size.—The original plant, now about five-years-old in             the ground, is about 170 cm high from the soil level to the             top of the inflorescences and about 170 cm wide. First year             stems have a diameter of about 2.5 mm. Shape: squarish.             Second year and older stems have a diameter of about 5 mm or             more. Shape: round.         -   Trunk diameter.—3.4 cm at the soil line. Color: N199B.         -   Internode length.—About 2.1 cm.         -   Strength.—Flexible when young, easily broken once mature.         -   First year stem color (young).—179A. Color (woody): 200D.         -   Second year and older stem color.—N199B.         -   Bark.—Exfoliates in strips beginning on second or third year             stems. -   Vegetative buds: Sub-opposite to alternate in arrangement,     imbricate, conical, with no pubescence.     -   -   Color.—179A.         -   Size.—About 2.5 mm in length and 1 mm in width. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Sub-opposite to alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 4.8 cm.         -   Width.—About 3 cm. Shape: elliptical.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Cuneate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture (upper and lower surfaces).—Glabrous and glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Venation color of emerging foliage (upper and lower             Surfaces).—185A.         -   Venation color of fully expanded foliage (upper and lower             surfaces).—N137B.         -   Color in developing foliage (upper and lower             surfaces).—185A.         -   Color in fully expanded foliage (upper surface).—147A.         -   Color in fully expanded foliage (lower surface).—147B.         -   Petiole length.—About 2 mm.         -   Petiole diameter.—About 1 mm.         -   Petiole color (upper and lower surfaces).—184B.         -   Pubescence.—None. -   Flower description: Flowers are produced from about June to     September in Watkinsville, Ga. An inflorescence is showy for about     two weeks, and individual flowers last about one day and are     self-cleaning.     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Panicle.         -   Inflorescence length.—About 9.3 cm.         -   Inflorescence width.—About 6.6 cm.         -   Peduncle.—About 7.3 cm in length, about 2 mm in diameter,             color is 179A, and no pubescence.         -   Individual flowers.—About 2.1 cm in height and 2.7 cm in             diameter.         -   Flower buds.—Length: about 7 mm; Diameter: about 7 mm;             Color: 185C.         -   Pedicels.—About 7 mm in length, 179A in color, and no             pubescence.         -   Calyx.—About 7 mm in length, about 1 cm in diameter, 185C in             color, and no pubescence. -   Petals:     -   -   Arrangement/appearance.—Usually 6 or 7 per flower.         -   Petal length.—About 1.3 cm.         -   Petal width.—About 1.2 cm.         -   Petal shape.—Fan-shaped.         -   Petal apex.—Ruffled, rounded.         -   Petal base.—Sagittate.         -   Petal margin.—Ruffled.         -   Petal texture (upper and lower surfaces).—Glabrous.         -   Petal color.—Upper and lower surfaces are 72A. -   Stamens:     -   -   Quantity/arrangement.—About 25 to 30 short stamens clustered             in the center, about 7 mm long, filament color is 72D, and             anther color is 12A. The short stamens are surrounded by 6             longer stamens, about 1.2 cm long, filament color is 72D,             and anther color is 12A. The stamens are not pubescent.         -   Pollen.—Produced in moderate quantities and is 5C in color             on the short and long stamens. -   Pistils:     -   -   Quantity.—One superior pistil per flower.         -   Pubescence.—None.         -   Pistil length.—About 1.6 cm in length.         -   Stigma shape.—Round, about 1 mm in diameter.         -   Stigma color.—7A.         -   Style color.—61B and about 1.3 cm in length.         -   Ovary color.—11B and about 2 mm in diameter. -   Fruit:     -   -   Type/appearance.—Six-valved, dehiscent, broad ellipsoidal             capsule.         -   Length.—About 8 mm.         -   Diameter.—About 7 mm.         -   Immature color.—144A.         -   Mature color.—200C. Each capsule contains many seeds that             are about 5 mm long, 3 mm wide, and 200C in color. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the claimed Lagerstroemia variety     grown in field and container trials have exhibited resistance to     powdery mildew and Cercospora leaf spot. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Lagerstroemia plant named ‘PIILAG B4’, as illustrated and described herein. 